Top Junior Riders Jump to Success at Summer in the Rockies VI

Top Junior Riders Jump to Success at Summer in the Rockies VI
Hunter Holloway and Caitlin Boyle are two of the country’s most well respected junior riders, and they both decided to spend part of their summer competing at Summer in the Rockies at the Colorado Horse Park. Holloway has had great success in Grand Prix classes both here in the United States as well as abroad, and Boyle has earned a handful of prestigious equitation titles including R.W. Mutch Equitation Champion at Devon and this year’s Hunterdon Cup winner. However, this morning, they both focused their attention on the hunters as they each piloted their mount to a championship finish in the Junior Hunter 3’6” Division.

Today, it was Holloway with Lyons Creek Bellini who rode away with the Junior 3’6” Hunter Champion tricolor in Section A of the California Split. Holloway and “Bellini” swept all four over fences classes and finished second in the flat, making them the obvious champions of the division. The pair also took second in the $1,000 Junior Hunter Classic. Lyons Creek Bellini is owned by Hays Investment Corp. of Topeka, KS.

“We were both a little tired today but my horse was very good,” said Holloway. “He was awesome, you know, he’s very consistent, he goes out there every time and does his thing, so he was perfect.”

Lyons Creek Bellini is no stranger to the winner’s circle. When asked about her biggest accomplishments with this horse, Holloway explained, “Bellini is an awesome horse and there have been a lot of special moments with that horse, he just keeps on giving. During indoors last year he was only seven, so to go in there and march right around and end up reserve champion at all the indoors made me really proud. He went from Pre-Greens to Junior Hunters all in that year and I brought him up, so it was a proud moment for me as his trainer and rider. The biggest accomplishment that I am most proud of is Devon this year. We both went in there and he was so good, I could not be more proud of that horse, he was just perfect.”

In Section B of the Junior 3’6” Hunter division, Caitlin Boyle rode Wingman, a Jill Vannatta entry of Evaston, IL, to the championship finish. The pair jogged away with three firsts and a second over fences, and they also finished up in third in the $1,000 Junior Hunter Classic.

“I was really proud of how he went,” said Boyle. “He hasn’t shown much this year because his owner has an illness. He’s only done a few horse shows this year and I’m really happy with how he went. Freddie [Vazquez] wanted me to ride him because he needed him to start showing again, and he wants to sell him as a Junior Hunter so he needed a junior kid who could ride him. Whenever I am home I get to show him and I hope he just continues to improve.”

Boyle continued, “He was just so smooth and jumped great, I was happy with how it all turned out. He is a very pretty horse and he just has such a nice canter rhythm and he looks really nice when he goes in the ring. I just wanted to keep everything smooth and find all of the jumps and hopefully that would help me win today.”

Claiming reserve in Section A of the Junior 3’6” Hunter division was Sutherland and Phineas, a Lisa Sutherland entry of Wichita, KS. They received a first and two seconds over fences, in addition to a win in the under saddle. Sutherland trains with Brandie Holloway of Equi-Venture Farm, and was happy with the barn’s success today. In Section B, the reserve champion honors went to Amanda Roche of Austin, TX and her own Even So.

“My horse was great as always, and he had the same energy as yesterday,” said Sutherland. “He was just really focused today and jumped everything well. A year ago, I would chip some rounds and get an 80 in others. Now we have consistent rounds on both days that we show.”

For many top juniors, their barn mates and closest friends become their toughest competitors. However, the dynamic duo from Equi-Venture Farm does not let the competition get in the way of their friendship. Their one-two finish as division champion and reserve made for a special moment for these two friends.

“It was awesome, I love watching Hunter ride,” said Sutherland. “She goes before me a lot and I learn a lot from watching her. I watch the way she rides the lines, like if she moves up or slows down a little, the way she just tracks the whole course and rides all the lines, so it is nice to watch her. I don’t care if Hunter wins or I win, as long as the barn wins we are happy.”

“It was pretty exciting, it was awesome for our barn,” added Holloway. “We are really good friends, same barn, same trainer, so I feel like it is barn pride. We don’t let the competitiveness get in the way of our friendship. Obviously we both are a little competitive but we both want each other to do well. We are both cheering for the other person and we have a great barn relationship when it comes to that kind of stuff.”

In the Junior 3’3” Hunter division, it was Kaitlyn Arnold aboard MTM Retro who rode away with the champion tricolor. MTM Retro is owned by MTM Farm of Flower Mound, TX. Samantha Wolf of Glencoe, IL and her own Alessio finished in reserve. Arnold and MTM Retro were also announced as the $1,000 Junior Hunter Classic winners with two impressive rounds and scores in the 80s.

“I think today went pretty well,” said Arnold. “He jumps really well out of all distances, so I feel confident asking him for both the long spots and the quieter one, he is just really willing. I was just really pleased to end on this note with him. He is just 5 years old and he is going to the Incentive in the middle of August. I leave for school in the middle of August so we might be parting ways.”

Tomorrow, Week VI of Summer in the Rockies at Colorado Horse Park will come to a close. The Amateur Owner Hunters will finish out their divisions and champion and reserve honors will be presented. These competitors will also have a chance to compete in the $1,000 Amateur Owner Hunter Classic.

Results: Summer in the Rockies VI – Saturday, July 19

232. Junior Hunter 3'6"
result/entry/horse/owner/rider/prize
1 a/971/Lyons Creek Bellini/Hays Investment Corp./Hunter Holloway/80.00
2 a/519/Nairobi/Rachel Pekala/Surina Techarukpong/55.00
3 a/966/Gretzky/Saddle Ridge LLC/Olivia Lawton/40.00
4 a/715/Even So/Amanda Roche/Amanda Roche/30.00
5 a/610/Calandra/Megan Kerpsack/Megan Kerpsack/15.00
6 a/572/Calistoga Gold/Kira Telford/Kira Telford/5.00
7 a/909/Frank The Tank/McKenzie Booker/McKenzie Booker/0.00
1 b/556/Wingman/Jill Vannatta/Caitlin Boyle/80.00
2 b/801/Dolce/Stonebridge Farm/Lauren Takata/55.00
3 b/792/Rock Star/Rylee Shufelt/Rylee Shufelt/40.00
4 b/978/Phineas/Lisa Sutherland/Emily Sutherland/30.00
5 b/571/CR Moet/Kira Telford/Kira Telford/15.00
6 b/868/Granit/Olivia Lawton/Olivia Lawton/5.00
7 b/933/Baloubet K/Roderick Kyle Dewar/Emmelia Forbes/0.00

233. Junior Hunter 3'6"
result/entry/horse/owner/rider/prize
1 a/971/Lyons Creek Bellini/Hays Investment Corp./Hunter Holloway/80.00
2 a/978/Phineas/Lisa Sutherland/Emily Sutherland/55.00
3 a/792/Rock Star/Rylee Shufelt/Rylee Shufelt/40.00
4 a/966/Gretzky/Saddle Ridge LLC/Olivia Lawton/30.00
5 a/801/Dolce/Stonebridge Farm/Lauren Takata/15.00
6 a/933/Baloubet K/Roderick Kyle Dewar/Emmelia Forbes/5.00
7 a/572/Calistoga Gold/Kira Telford/Kira Telford/0.00
1 b/556/Wingman/Jill Vannatta/Caitlin Boyle/80.00
2 b/868/Granit/Olivia Lawton/Olivia Lawton/55.00
3 b/715/Even So/Amanda Roche/Amanda Roche/40.00
4 b/610/Calandra/Megan Kerpsack/Megan Kerpsack/30.00
5 b/571/CR Moet/Kira Telford/Kira Telford/15.00
6 b/519/Nairobi/Rachel Pekala/Surina Techarukpong/5.00
7 b/909/Frank The Tank/McKenzie Booker/McKenzie Booker/0.00

2770. Junior 3'3" Hunter O/F
award/entry/horse/owner/rider/prize
1/947/Brego/Hailey Livingston/Sarah Young/80.00
2/763/Thunderstruck/Janelle Henningsen/Janelle Henningsen/55.00
3/555/Alessio/Samantha Wolf/Samantha Wolf/40.00
4/553/Greytful/Jenna Selati/Beatrice Maloney/30.00
5/713/Mtm Retro/MTM Farm/Kaitlyn Arnold/15.00
6/995/Splendid/Isabella Littlejohn/Isabella Littlejohn/5.00
7/604/Cinqocento Z/Shayla Tocher/Shayla Tocher/0.00
8/828/Casino 72/Devon Weigers/Devon Weigers/0.00

2780. Junior 3'3" Hunter O/F
award/entry/horse / owner/rider/prize
1/713/Mtm Retro/MTM Farm/Kaitlyn Arnold/80.00
2/947/Brego/Hailey Livingston/Sarah Young/55.00
3/555/Alessio/Samantha Wolf/Samantha Wolf/40.00
4/995/Splendid/Isabella Littlejohn/Isabella Littlejohn/30.00
5/604/Cinqocento Z/Shayla Tocher/Shayla Tocher/15.00
6/553/Greytful/Jenna Selati/Beatrice Maloney/5.00
7/828/Casino 72/Devon Weigers/Devon Weigers/0.00
8/763/Thunderstruck/Janelle Henningsen/Janelle Henningsen/0.00

703. $1,000 Junior Hunter Classic
award/entry/horse/owner/rider/prize
1/713/Mtm Retro/MTM Farm/Kaitlyn Arnold/300.00
2/971/Lyons Creek Bellini/Hays Investment Corp./Hunter Holloway/220.00
3/556/Wingman/Jill Vannatta/Caitlin Boyle/150.00
4/947/Brego/Hailey Livingston/Hailey Livingston/100.00
5/978/Phineas/Lisa Sutherland/Emily Sutherland/70.00
6/604/Cinqocento Z/Shayla Tocher/Shayla Tocher/60.00
7/555/Alessio/Samantha Wolf/Samantha Wolf/50.00
8/792/Rock Star/Rylee Shufelt/Rylee Shufelt/50.00
9/715/Even So/Amanda Roche/Amanda Roche/0.00
10/995/Splendid/Isabella Littlejohn/Isabella Littlejohn/0.00
11/610/Calandra/Megan Kerpsack/Colleen Brombach/0.00
12/868/Granit/Olivia Lawton/Olivia Lawton/0.00